Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1887-12-22

space to the duty on wool and It's
effect on the consumer and producer
As this is question Of vital impOr-
tance TO one of our foremost INDUS
tries. we give his views in full:
The farmer or agrieult urisf who manu-
factures nothing but who pays the Increased
price which the tar'if imposes upon every
agricultural implment, upon an ne wears
and upon all he uses and owns. except the
increase of his flocks and herds ana ruch
things as his husba nslry produces from the
soil. is invited to aid in maintaining the
presept situation: and he H. told that a hlsl
duty on imported wool is necessary Tor
those who have sheep tn shear. IN "fdrr
that the price Of heir " ool may beincrearei.
They of course are not reminded that IN"
farmer who has no sheep is by TN. semen =
Obliged. in his purchases of clot',in. ana
wooden goods t. pay IA tribute to his fellow
4, rtuer as well as to the manuiarthrer "h',
merchant; the sheep ownrrs themselves anu
their Households must wear cioth'hs ann
us,. ot her nv; 'cI,.~ manufactured from the
wool they sill at inrifi pr'' aud thus as
c,usrflr,s ii,urt rsturn '.,-;r siarts :" ms
increased prr' of q "a. tra's 'Sinah. th'"N
it may he fairly nss~,,, ned iat iar!r pro-
nottiuit of the sheep Owned by th' farmers
throu lliout the country nre found ~ siiiah
flocks n,,uilerin. from twraiy live to hity.
The duty on the gra .le -. impaired wo'h
" hirh th,s, sheep yid H. .r' e ats or less.
aud twelv. cuts il uJ tn. val - - more
than thirty cents. II tn" Pre- e-tiiia'e
of six pounds b,. ,lln~- ;u, ra,!I fleece, the
duty thereon would l, ~ - 3 r >''Nent -nSe
cent,, and this may br tar ~ as he eu''"ose
7 euha nce,nent of it's price to the farmer ny
reason of this duty Eighteen dollars would
thus represent the increased prcr "f the
wool from twenty v five sheep ANA th'ftv-SiA
dollars that from the wool ~ hfty sheep;
and at present value this a.!diti"n WOMB
amount to about one-thirl -! it's price. IL
upon it's sale the farmer receives tins or y
| less tariff urotit. the wool leaves his hands
charged with precisely that sum, which ~
all its cha nges will adhere to II untii "
rea cies he consumer. When nianu'actureu
into cloth and other goods ani iilaterai
| for use its cost il not only increased I" the
| extent of the farmers tarin proi'' "u' u
further sum has been added for the prom.
Of the manufacturer under the operation ot
these tariff laws. In the meantinc theday
arrives when the farmer finds il neressar!
To purchase wOolen goods and n'ntrr'a' Z"
clothe himself and family Tor the winter.
When he faces the trades.iIan Tor that pur-
pose he discovers that he is "biiged ""t
only to return. in IA way ofincreased prices:
his Ia riff profit On the wool he s',ht. an"
which then perhaps lies before him ~ man
ufactured form, but that he must ana ~
considera BILE sum thereto I" meet a farther
| increase in cost caused by II tari!i d.ity on
| the nianufacturr. Inus III 'hr w. ~ ~
aroused to the fact that he has p,id upon
u moderate psrchase as n result oi IN.
| tariff scheme which, when he sold = WOOL
seemed so proita bile. an Increase IN 'rle'
more than sufficient to sweep away an thr
Ia riff profit he received upon the wool h'.
! produced and sold, When the nuini"r "i
| IA armers engaged in wool raising 's com
! pare with all the farmers in the country
J sl A;aAAst thek hcilr Ii 4lf
popula tiun is consi,lered; when it Is made
| appu rent that, in the ease al II 'ars' i,ift
J of those who own sheep, tn" benefit al the
! tariff On wool is illusory. aud. ab"ve an.
| when il must be conceded that the ihritase
of the cost Of living caused 10y such tar'n
becomes ~ burden upon tfosr einpioF.'s
/ aud unemployed. the sick ana well ana the
! young and old, and that IL c,nsfitut >,
| tax which. with relentless grasp. il iast-nt'i
upon the clothing Of evey man, woman ana
child in the land, reasons are sig,estri
why the removal or reduction nf this duty
should he included in the revision al our
| taiiff laws.
There are many articles which do
not in any way compete with our
manufacture which the President
! thinks should be added to the free list.
! lie holds that all luxufies should lc
taxed, but the duty on netessaries OF
life abolished or greatly reduced. lie
takes II broad view of the revenue
question and fully conIprehenl> the
difficulty OF the task in securing ltgl>-
/ lation that will remedy existing evils.